Eutaw Street Cardboard

Wednesday: The Best of the Rest

2014-09-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

OK, all of the rest. I pulled in a total of nine autographs on that day, pretty good haul and some names to cross off my list. My timing paid off being able to cross a few September additions off the list as soon as they came to town.

Brand New Orioles

Quintin Berry Baltimore Autograph Card

Kelly Johnson Baltimore Autograph Card

The players available for trade:

Brad Brach 2012 Topps #637

Jason Bourgeois 2008 Bowman #193

Sam LeCure 2011 Topps Update #277

For the night I was able to go home with two new names crossed off the list and hopefully some trade bait. I am hoping the collectibility of the Reds is high and I can turn my long day into some names I need for my collection.

In Person Autographs: All-Star Edition

2014-09-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

The weather on Wednesday was so much better than the day prior. I didn't feel like I was melting and sweating all over my cards when out all day. It made for a much better atmosphere and it seemed to pay dividends with the players. All in all I was able to take home seven new autographs, four of which were former All-Stars.

Check em out.

Adam Jones 2012 Bowman International #45

Yep, he picked up a sharpie. I was as shocked as the other seven graphers outside prior to the game. It wasn't planned but Jones may have been tricked into thinking only two people were waiting. The shade just made a lot more sense. He reluctantly signed for us all and didn't say anything except, "I don't like to take pictures" when asked. It didn't bother me, I was just happy he signed making the morning worth it. Now I have this absolutely beautiful card in my collection, with another nice one on the trading block.

Evan Meek Baltimore Autograph Card

In the starkest of contrasts to Adam Jones, I give you Evan Meek. Evan was absolutely fabulous. He came over with little prodding and first thanked us, the fans, for supporting him and the team. He gushed that he could not have been happier to be back in Baltimore. Once he signed for everyone, he asked if there was anyone he missed and posed for photographs. The whole time he had a huge smile on his face before thanking us again.

Oh yeah, he was the 2010 All-Star selection of the Pittsburgh Pirates, even though he never made it into the game.

Aroldis Chapman 2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #70

Three time All-Star Chapman was unassuming when he came out the dugout. I didn't even hear his name called, he just sort of appeared. It didn't take long for word to get out and he was absolutely mobbed.

Mat Latos 2013 Allen & Ginter SP #309

OK, this is a stretch. Latos never made the MLB All-Star game, but was selected to the 2009 Futures All-Star game. I am sure he has been deserving, so this is my homage to him and his career (I already had the concept for this post set, so I decided to be stubborn and not change). Ginter is a set that I like signed much more tan I like busting packs of. They lend themselves very well to autographs and are collectible. Anyone looking to add these to their sets?

Reds vs. Orioles September 2, 2014

2014-09-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday was a hot, humid, disgusting, uncomfortable day. Temperatures in the 90's with 90% humidity coupled with the start of the school year, severely depleted autograph seekers before the game.

Only a handful of coaches and players were dropped off by taxis and recognition was difficult. Not a single big name Red was visible so the likes of Manny Parra, Jumbo Diaz and Jake Elmore escaped without being asked to sign.

I was fortunate to recognize the two players below.

Ramon Santiago 2014 Topps

Ramon was not a fan of the heat and humidity in Baltimore as he high-tailed it into the stadium. He gladly signed for the few of us waiting, but you could tell all he wanted to do was get inside the stadium. Ramon was accessible all three days of the series, but this was the only card I had of his. And I traded it away the following day

Carlos Contreras 2014 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP65

Contreras was a difficult face to pinpoint. He, Daniel Corcino, Nelson Antigua and Ramon Santiago all look a lot alike. I quietly questioned "Carlos?", when he passed by. He looked up slightly and the rest was history. I am a huge fan of this card and how the signature pops off the white of the uniform. When Chrome cards sign well, they are some of my favorites all around.

Apparently, Ubaldo Jimenex and Mike Bordick are as close to guarantees as there is with this team. Neither hesitated when asked and signed multiples for anyone that wanted. And that was it for the Orioles outside the stadium.

Ubaldo Jimenez 2011 Bowman Platinum #42

I just received a trade in the mail for an Ubaldo and this accompanies it on my trade list.

Ubaldo Jimenez 2012 Bowman #177

There is not much to his autograph, but I like how fluid it is. This card will stay in the collection...until an Orioles card can be secured.

Mike Bordick 2002 Upper Deck #583

Not much to say about Bordick. He's a super guy, great signature and great card. I have a few others that are just as awesome, so this beauty is available for trade.

Inside the stadium, the Orioles were brutal again. The stadium opens to fans as Oriole BP is ending. All the big name players are in the clubhouse relaxing as we are filing in. The rest of the team was unable to stop for a moment.

The Reds on the other hand were glad to pick up a pen. I was without items for Jake Elmore, Chris Heisey and Ryan Dennick as they were signing. But I was not shut out.

Todd Frazier 2014 Topps #580

Frazier had a ton of family in town for the game. Being originally from New Jersey his family made the trek to see him and they all made their way to the third base line. When he connected with his family he made time for all the fans waiting and signed about 100 autographs. He was not pleasant or making small talk, just seemed like he was all business. First All-Star signature of the week.

David Holmberg 2014 Gypsy Queen Mini Red #290

Normally, I am always a blue sharpie kinda guy. But this card is so damn small, my normal blue wouldn't have worked. He had a hard time handling the card and pen, but it was all I had. I don't have a normal size reference to see how much the mini impacted his autograph.

Brandon Phillips 2014 Topps

Dat Dude. Awesome Dude. After realizing that he started in the middle of the third base line, he redirected and went to the furthest point to start again. He literally signed until they made him stop before the National Anthem. He took pictures with anyone asking, shook hands and always had a smile on his face. He apologized to the few people he was unable to get to at that time. All-Star number two.

So day one was miserable and two hours of rain delays didn't help things at all. Even with a limited number of autographs the quality was definitely there.

How did I follow it up?

What To Do With Vacation Days?

2014-09-06T15:44:00.000-04:00

I get over four weeks vacation each year and never come close to using them all. My rollover happens in September so I needed to take some time. So like any normal person, I took a week to go to Orioles games and get autographs.

I was able to score tickets to the entire series versus the Reds and ended up putting in some long days trying for autographs.

What did I learn?

1. The Orioles still have an aversion to the sharpie. Many of the players have started using hand gestures indicating they will sign inside the stadium instead of having to say "no". The problem, nearly all of batting practice is finished by the time fans get inside. Few players have the time.

2. The organization has made it more difficult to graph the visiting team. All cabs and town cars are now allowed to go under the stadium. This ensures no opportunity to ask players as they walk into the stadium. Rumor has it that the Yankees and Indians complained that their players got wet, so the Orioles kowtowed. Bummer.

3. The Reds are a good signing team. Apparently they have a team directive that encourages signing for fans, and their players/stars listen for the most part.

I did really well with the Reds. The Orioles, not so much. I will be posting my haul in the coming days.

A Backups Backup

2014-07-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

When the Orioles realized Matt Weiters may be out for a while, or the season, they needed a veteran presence to support Caleb Joseph. It cost the team reliever Troy Patton, but the experience Nick Hundley had behind the plate outweighed the loss.

Nick Hundley 2005 Bowman Draft & Prospects #BDP-90

Hundley is a better hitter than Joseph, but misses the mark behind the plate. He has only cut down 14% of would be base stealers this season and is 27% for his career. The catcher position is likely to platoon the entire year, going back and forth between Hundley, Joseph, Steve Clevenger and maybe some young Norfolk Tide.

Is it bad that once players are called up mid season and I grab an autograph, I hope they fade away. I am not looking to have to go after an Orioles Postcard of players that hang around for two months, make little impact, then disappear. Make an impact and I will gladly hunt you down as an Oriole (not meant as a threat).

Back In The Swing Of Things

2014-07-01T22:07:00.000-04:00

While I haven't been active blogging, I have been trying to organize the collection and my needs. As roster changes and moves add names to the list, the effort is ever changing.

I was able to discern many of my easier needs and decided to try and make some moves. Looking at SCN I found rockinace had a few cards I could use. That is usually the issue, I can use em, but nothing to go in return. This was not the case.

I was able to secure four new players and four upgrades. All I had to send was:
Andre Dawson
Zack Britton
Kevin Correia
Mike Bordick
Dylan Bundy-
Alfredo Simon
Cesar Devarez

The card that first caught my eye was:

Caleb Joseph 2010 Bowman Prospects #BP-55

Yep, a light hitting catcher charged with filling the shin guards of a perennial All-Star was the catalyst to a trade. I just happened to be searching on the site for anything of Caleb and came across this one. I do a lot of trading on SCN without looking at scans. I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not the image I thought was showing up.

Caleb has been int he organization since being drafted in the 7th round in 2008. Caleb made his debut on May 7, 2014 and then was thrust into starting duty four days later. Matt Weiters' elbow injury has forced Caleb into a more prominent role than he was expecting. He has performed admirably behind the plate throwing out 52% of base runners. The batter's box is a different story. Caleb has looked over matched at the plate at times, but has recently found some power.

I'm not expecting Matt Weiters type production, but growth is necessary for Caleb yo stay in the big leagues.

Father's Day Finds?

2014-06-16T15:41:00.001-04:00

It may be a little misleading, but I did not find these cards on Sunday. I grabbed them two weeks ago, before vacation, just opened them yesterday.

I found these at a yard sale from a family that used to be in the collectible business. They still do flea markets but their inventory doesn't renew.

I paid $2 for:

1983 Donruss Action Allstars (3)

1988 Donruss All-Stars

1981 Topps Stickers (Football)

Nothing Earth shattering but some interesting old wax that had me intrigued.

Here is what they yielded.

1983 Donruss Action Allstars

Cal Ripken #52

Look at the "Action Shot". A topped ball directly into the dirt. This was either a foul ball or an easy 2-3 put out. This entire set pushes the limits of "action". It should be 1983 Donruss Pictures of Guys on the Field Allstars.

Rod Carew #38

Cal was the first card pulled and proved to be the best of the bunch as well. These cards had a hold in me since I was a kid, bigger and different then anything else. I bought my first pack in the early 90's.

Reading the back of these cards is awesome. Insight into contract status, free agency and hobbies had to be riveting to the card collecting youth. Here's a few tidbits for you;

Willie Wilson likes to bake. Fernando Valenzuela has no hobbies. Jim Sundberg owns a travel agency. And Bob Horner likes video games. So he enjoyed Pong is what that tells us, fascinating.

Not sure if anyone out there is working on a set, but here are all the ones I have.

1983 Donruss Action Allstars

#4 Greg Luzinski

#15 Ron Guidry

#21 Ron Cey

#26 Jim Sundberg

#32 Willie Wilson

#41 Bruce Sutter

#44 Carl Yastrzemski

#43 Carlton Fisk

#46 Bob Horner

#47 Dave Concepcion

#49 Kent Hrbek

#50 Lance Parrish

#53 Fernando Valenzuela

#58 Gary Carter

#59 Fred Lynn

#60 Checklist

Mantle Puzzle pieces #'s 7,8,9,28,29,30,49,50,51

1988 Donruss All-Stars

Mike Scott Pop-Up

Cal Ripken #5

Again Cal was the first card pulled and absolutely the best as well. Anyone else notice the progression of the Allstar (1983) to All-Star (1988)? Who made the call to add the hyphen? Made my life difficult when cataloging my Ripken collection as a kid. And now typing this post from my phone has me annoyed at the ponctuation yet again.

1981 Topps Stickers Football

Ok, no cheating. Who can name any of the players below. I was hell no-4 with the pictures and still 0-4 with the names. Granted I was one year old when these were produced.

I will have another post with my other purchase later this week.

Talk About Your All-Time Backfire

2014-05-28T02:36:00.000-04:00

I have done my best to steer my son toward my passion of baseball. His first word was "ball" and he continues to be obsessed with playing ball. He recognizes the Oriole Bird from my hat, and hearing a child say "O-we-ol" is heart melting. At a year and a half he could recognize Cal Ripken from posters. I couldn't be happier.

In an effort to bring my love of baseball into parenting, I bought a few things from Target to use as rewards. Toilet training is difficult and any incentive is a welcome one. Candy works too well but stickers are fun and don't set a bad precedent.

So I bought a pack of 2014 Topps Stickers to use in the Potty. It was riddled with Yankees players. At first I was bummed but quickly realized the only place for a Yankee should be the bathroom.

For something a little different I also snagged a 2013 Topps Big League Mini pack to give him a new baseball toy. I got this guy:

In case you can't tell, it's Derek Jeter. The epicenter of my dislike for the Yankees. Yuck. Gross.

Time to throw it out right. Nope. My son loves it and even referred to it as "his Dad." Several times.

Good thing he has the attention span of a two-year old. I will be leaving this guy in a restaurant in the near future

Taking Stock

2014-05-25T23:26:00.002-04:00

I haven't been nearly as active as I would like over the last few months. With the baseball season in full effect, it would stand to reason my collection would be suffering greatly.

Thanks to the Orioles limited roster moves this season, I am not doing so bad.

I currently have 872 of the 977, 89.25%. So damn close to my 90% goal. Only eight autographs stand in my way. That got me thinking. Eight should be real easy. Should be the operative word.

Of the 105 autographs I need, 61 players are deceased. Thus, they are expensive and aren't readily available.

Of the 34 living players only 9 are active, with a handful of them being good signers. I am going to need to work hard to get myself over 90% before the Orioles start calling up players during the stretch run. I am sitting on 10 signed cards of players that may be called up.

I am hoping to make some dents in the next few weeks, or at least start posting a little more. Wrangling a 2 year old during the day and then working the night shift has sapped any creative energy I had. Looking forward to reading more about your exploits out there.

In a Fantasy World

2014-03-12T11:30:00.001-04:00

My new company car has satellite radio, and like a true dork, I have been listening to the Fantasy Sports channel. Yep. Every time I am in the car it's mock drafts, ADP, auction values and super deep sleepers.

This constant baseball talk has brought me back from a decade long hiatus from the game. It had previously been too much to keep up with a whole season, but times are different. I am different.

So I made my own league. It's a 12 team, mixed league, Rotisserie League drafting on Saturday March 29 at 8pm. I am looking for anyone to take it seriously, $25 on the line.

Let me know if you are interested.

Kirk

The Envelope Please

2014-02-27T00:17:00.000-05:00

One of my collecting resolutions this year is to start up my TTM requests again. There are not a lot of good TTM signers out that I need, but I am going to let out some long-shots and hope for the best.

My second resolution is to get in front of new players and minor leaguers so I don't have to scramble when they crack the roster.

This week I decided to do both. For the first time in a few years I am trying my luck with Spring Training. Wish me luck.

Here is who I sent to, and their signing habits from Sportscollectors.net.

Alfredo Aceves-66% signs mainly during Spring Training
Michael Almanzar-0 for 6
Julio Borbon-63%
Nelson Cruz -37% long-shot
Ivan De Jesus-0% no requests
Alex Gonzalez- 18%
Hunter Harvey- 50%
Ubaldo Jimenez- 48%
Chris Marrero- 7% *Ouch*
Xavier Paul- 0 for 12
Eduardo Rodriguez- no requests
Suk-min Yoon- No clue
Delmon Young- 1%

I would like to personally thank the Orioles for signing some players that are historically bad at TTM requests. No one ever said it would be easy

FanFest 2014-Upgrades

2014-02-15T23:23:00.001-05:00

Here is the last of the haul from FanFest this year. Each of these autographs will be an upgrade to the collection for a variety of reasons.

Dylan Bundy 2013 Topps Alen & Ginter #79

Bundy was a machine during the day. He signed every time he was walking the floor of the Convention Center. I have yet to see him showcase much of a personality but I am 3/3 graphing him. Many of the other graphers were talking about him being moody. Some days he is amazing and others, downright awful. I am glad that during FanFest he has had good days.

Miguel Gonzalez 2013 Orioles Topps #BAL-15

This was an uneventful autograph, so not much to say. I do have his signed postcard from last year available now.

Bud Norris 2014 Orioles Postcard

Norris was part of the free session to start the day and I needed to scoop up a Postcard. He has yet to appear on an Oriole card, but I can see that changing this year as he seems sure to be in the starting rotation. In my limited encounters with Bud he had been reluctant to sign, so when he also signed the card I gave him I was surprised. Pleasantly. So now I have his 2008 Donruss Threads and 2013 Topps autographs available for trade.

Darren O'Day 2012 Topps Update #267

Darren is one of my favorite Orioles and I hope he has another great season. I feel like he has the ability to be the closer, but his unorthodox delivery has little proven success in the closer role. Either way, I like the way the bullpen seems to be shaping up. I now have a signed Postcard from Darren available if anyone is looking.

Steve Pearce 2010 Topps #530

Pearce had the best handler at the event. She stayed directly on his hip each and every time he was in the open. She even shot down requests before we could ask. Steve never had to say a word. Then came the food line. A long line directly in front of the players entrance caused Steve and his handler to be separated and he finally relented. Until she came back. A certified 2008 SPx Autographics card is available since this in person beauty is home.

Nolan Reimold 2010 Topps 206 #168

I only think Reimold signed one time walking through the event because he had his hands full. He had his wife, three kids and a friend with him, not to mention a cup of coffee. He was able to push a stroller, hold his coffee and sign my card for me at the same time. Probably due to all the practice with three young kids. This takes the place of a damaged card I had already in the collection.

Josh Stinson Baltimore Autograph Card

Like many of the players Josh denied all day, until he was done with his obligations. He stopped and signed before leaving for the day, giving in to the persistence we showed all day.

FanFest 2014-Trade Bait

2014-02-08T00:19:00.000-05:00

I was able to double dip on a few of the new players while hitting up some old stalwarts. SO here is what I now have available to trade if anyone is interested. Also have a Dylan Bundy 2011 Bowman Draft signed last year.

Mike Bordick 2001 Upper Deck Reserve #40

Zach Britton 2010 Topps Pro Debut #330

Zach Britton 2012 Topps #599

Dylan Bundy 2013 Orioles Topps #BAL-7

Kelvin De La Cruz 2009 Bowman Chrome #BCP

Ryan Flaherty 2011 Topps Heritage Minors #111

David Lough 2013 Topps #268

Nick Markakis 2014 Orioles Postcard

Bud Norris 2013 Topps #353

Troy Patton 2012 Topps Blue Parallel #156

Larry Sheets 1991 Orioles Crown #414

Nate Snell 1991 Orioles Crown #430

Cord Phelps 2008 Razor #87

Jemile Weeks 2012 Topps #640

Matt Wieters 2010 Upper Deck # 84

FanFest 2014-Additions and Acquisitions

2014-02-06T00:22:00.000-05:00

Since I was shut out with buying autograph vouchers I came to FanFest needing to put in some work to make a dent in my needs. I was able to get up early enough to earn one of the 250 spots to the free signing. I was guaranteed autographs of Nick Markakis, Bud Norris and Jemile Weeks. After the signing I positioned myself near the stage to try and get some autographs.

At last years FanFest, being close to the stage was good for hounding. You could see in multiple directions and knew players would be coming to the stage. This year had a different design, that called for a different plan. Jay (J-Orioles on sportsgraphing) posted up in the middle of the arena and was perfect. As players crossed from one event to another they had to pass us. When they went upstairs to get away from the arena floor, they had to pass us. When they came back down, they had to pass us. We had so many opportunities to get autographs and with a little persistence, I did just that.

Steve Clevenger 2013 Bowman #12

Overall I was able to cross two names off the current list, Steve Clevenger was one of them. I will eventually need to upgrade to a Postcard or Orioles issue if that ever happens but was happy to cross this name off. I only saw Steve once throughout the entire event and once was all that I needed. He was gracious and pleasant as he disregarded his handlers demands to keep walking.

Henry Urrutia 2013 Bowman #8

Henry was the second player I was able to cross off my list. I got a tip that he was participating in a baseball clinic with Dave Johnson and went to check it out. There were a ton of people standing around but no one really looking for autographs. I was one of a few guys to get Henry here and seemed to be one of the lucky ones. He was interactive and friendly at the beginning of the day, but once his girlfriend showed, he never stopped. All he did was hold her hand, but I got mine so I was very happy.

Tim Berry Baltimore Autograph Card

The only food I ate during the entire day was a bag of Crab Chips and some Powerade. I bring that up because on my way back from my snack I saw Tim Berry dong a clinic. He seemed disinterested during the clinic but was nice enough to sign for me.

Berry spent all of 2013 in Frederick posting good numbers as a starter. Being a left handed arm throwing in the 90MPH range should facilitate rapid advancement, if he continues to perform well.

Kelvin De La Cruz Baltimore Autograph Card

Another lefty that may make his debut with the Orioles this year is De La Cruz. He spent six seasons in the Cleveland Indians organization but never cracked the big league roster. He was used only as a starter until last year, where he was exclusively coming from the pen. A 6'5" lefty coul create matchup problems.

His height made him easy to spot walking through the event and he signed for me twice, only because I only had two items. First is this Autograph Card and there is a Bowman card still to come.

Liam Hendriks Baltimore Autograph Card

I attempted to get Liam coming and going from the main stage when he participated in a new player forum. He denied me each time because he had an aggressive handler. Later in the day he was walking with his wife and was in a different mood. He stopped and signed for those who asked. His wife was a big fan of the Autograph Card I gave him to sign and we chatted about the hobby for a few minutes. Predominantly a starter, I am not sure the role Liam will play with the team this year.

Chris Jones Baltimore Autograph Card

Chris Jones passed by a couple of time and I couldn't place him. Eventually, someone in the know pointed him out and he was gracious enough to sign. Jones had been a solid minor league pitcher for the Indians and the Braves before coming to the Orioles last year. Like countless others he will be vying for a spot in our bullpen this year.

Johnny Monell Baltimore Autograph Card

I am not usre how this signature reads Johnny Monell, but there are a lot of things I don't know. Monell, Michael Ohlman and Clevenger will all by jockeying to backup Matt Wieters this season. And if this is indeed Matt's final season in town, it would be nice to know if there is a quality replacement in the system.

Cord Phelps Baltimore Autograph Card

Phelps was the only player I approached with no knowledge of who he was. Having the custom card makes this possible, but I typically avoid it. Not a single one of us recognized him, so I can say I did it for everyone else. It also allowed me to get him on a minor league card later that day.

With Brian Roberts in pinstripes and fringe major league players in front of him, Phelps looks to take a shot at the second base job. He has three years of big league experience with the Indians with little results. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds.

Brad Brach 2012 Topps #637

Brach was the first player I tracked down after the free session, with a little help from Austin. He is another arm that the Orioles have brought in to try and sure up their bullpen. He has had a few good seasons in San Diego so hopefully the A.L. is kind to him. I am looking into getting an Orioles postcard signed so if anyone's got one let me know.

David Lough 2013 Topps Emerald #268

Dan Duquette said that he believes Lough can be a better fit in left field than the newly departed Nate McLouth. More pop and a better arm but with less speed. Again another question mark, like every move they have made this off-season. He was a really nice guy and signed for me twice throughout the event.

MIchael Ohlman 2010 Topps Debut #100

Ohlman was very agreeable and pushed his handler aside to sign autographs for anyone that asked. He was also very easy to pick out walking through the Convention Center. I am hoping he has an opportunity to prove himself this season. If Wieters does in fact leave, there needs to be someone to fill his void. Could Ohlman be the guy?

Ryan Webb 2012 Topps Update #253

Keeping with the trend of bringing in relievers to try and fill a void, I give you Ryan Webb. It remains to be seen if Webb, Tommy Hunter or Darren O'Day would take the closer spot this season. I actually have faith in all three of those options.

Jemile Weeks 2014 Orioles Postcard

Jemile was one of the three signers at the free station and couldn't have been nicer. He was eager to interact with us fans and was willing to sign more than one autograph at the table. He is easily recognizable so he was an easy player to spot on the convention floor. But he never signed while walking around. He said the team told him not to sign and being new, he wanted to do as he was told. He seemed sincere so it didn't feel like a brush off. I

FanFest 2014 Recap

2014-02-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my bitching and my mini rant last week about FanFest. I was expecting to have a crappy day full of denials and wasted time. I was very much in the wrong.

I am working on more in depth posts, so for now, here are the stats. I was able to cross two names off the list, upgraded seven players, pulled in 15 autos of minor leaguers and new acquisitions, while still hauling in 13 to trade.

All told, 37 autographs for a whopping total cost of $40. That includes the price of admission, food, parking and cards I bought prior to the event. Big fan of how everything turned out.

I had a great time meeting up with a few graphers from sportsgraphing.com. J-Orioles, Scoreset, CalRipken8 and finflash, plus others, all made it a great day. I look forward to making some trades and adding a few more postcards to my collection.

Stay tuned for the pictures and details.

FanFest Groveling

2014-01-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

Short and sweet.

I am looking to purchase a season ticket FanFest ticket for this year. Since I was shut out on line, I would like to get there early and be guaranteed a couple signatures.

Please let me know if you have one available.

45 Minutes Of My Life I Want Back

2014-01-18T11:18:00.002-05:00

As a nice welcome back to autographing, the Baltimore Orioles wasted my time for 45 minutes today. Autograph Vouchers went on sale for the Orioles February 1, 2014 Fanfest. And exactly like last year the site sucks ass. Again, glitch after glitch and volume issues caused myself, and I am sure others to be shut out from buying autographs.

Here is this years lineup.

11:20 a.m.-12:20 p.m.	Mike Bordick Bill Hunter Matt Wieters	Zach Britton Kevin Gausman Steve Johnson Calvin Maduro	Dylan Bundy David Lough Ryan Webb	Steve Clevenger Chris Davis Liam Hendriks
12:40-1:40 p.m.	Al Bumbry Nolan Reimold John Russell Chris Tillman	Ryan Flaherty Adam Jones Steve Pearce	Nick Markakis Jonathan Schoop Josh Stinson	Tommy Hunter Darren O'Day Henry Urrutia
2:00-3:00 p.m.	Kevin Gausman TJ McFarland Buck Showalter	JJ Hardy Chris Jones David Lough	Miguel Gonzalez Jim Palmer David Wallace Ryan Webb	Tim Berry Steve Clevenger Manny Machado Joe Orsulak
3:20-4:20 p.m.	Chris Davis Steve Johnson Johnny Monell	Dylan Bundy Darren O'Day Troy Patton Jemile Weeks	Tommy Hunter Brian Matusz Chris Tillman	Adam Jones Wayne Kirby Josh Stinson
4:40-5:40 p.m.	TJ McFarland Michael Ohlman Jim Palmer Nate Snell	Mike Belfiore Manny Machado Jonathan Schoop Larry Sheets	Larry Bigbie Kelvin De La Cruz Henry Urrutia Matt Wieters	Brad Brach Ken Dixon Miguel Gonzalez JJ Hardy

5000 tickets sold out in 45 minutes and the Orioles were again ill-equipped to handle the volume this process demands. Buy a ticket for $20 (up from last year) and you get 3-4 autographs. A great deal when it can be found. But it could not. For the first 30 minutes an error message popped up saying volume was too high. When that finally disappeared half the stations were sold out and a new error message appeared, "request could not be processed". Then at 10:45am, done.

I was left with zero vouchers and a bitter taste in my mouth. The last three years have had the same issues and the team doesn't seem to care, cause they sold out. I get it, I am in business, money is money. But service should count for something. I thought with an increase in price that was the idea this year. Nope.

Just for shits and giggles I looked at season tickets and was greeted with another error message. I am done.

So I am now relegated to grovelling, trading, buying from eBay and hounding during the day.

I need some help, a lot of help.

Mike Belfiore (Postcard)

Tim Berry (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Brad Brach (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Steve Clevenger (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Kelvin De La Cruz (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Liam Hendriks (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Bill Hunter (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Chris Jones (Anything, prefer Postcard)

David Lough (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Johnny Monell (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Michael Ohlman(Anything, prefer Postcard)

Steve Pearce (Postcard)

Josh Stinson (Postcard)

Henry Urrutia (Anything, prefer Postcard)

David Wallace (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Ryan Webb (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Jemile Weeks (Anything, prefer Postcard)

Can anyone help, either trade/consignment/anything? I would even be willing to help in line if anyone has multiple vouchers. I am desperate.

#OriolesFail

Big Leagued By A Journeyman

2014-01-17T23:48:00.000-05:00

My only trip to Camden Yards last year was met with an interesting request. Chris Snyder, journeyman catcher met my request for an autograph with an unusual amount of animosity.

He signed a ball for another collector and I patiently waited my turn as he was walking to the park. I handed him my custom autograph card. He looked at it, handed it back and said :do you have anything else". I politely responded that I had nothing else because he hadn't been featured as an Oriole yet.

His next response threw me for a loop. "Well, you get my bootleg signature then".
My initial reaction was "HUH". Eventually I came back with, "OK. It's just going into my collection".

But his perspective got me thinking.

Players have "bootleg" signatures? Journeymen catchers that have spent a lot of time in the minor leagues have "bootleg" signatures? What, exactly, is a "bootleg" signature?

Well, this is a "bootleg" signature:

Chris Snyder Orioles Autograph Card

Here is his normal signature:

Whatever. I have his autograph and I have a story, but seriously. Obviously he thought I would be selling this autograph in some way. So I did a little research. There have been a grand total of five sold autographs on eBay in the last two months. The most expensive, one whole dollar, and that was a dual autograph.

If this was indeed my way to make money, I would be better off panhandling for change. Come on man.

Let's Play A Game

2014-01-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

The game: Who am I?

The rules: Name the player in the autograph.

The hint: This person was at the September 23, 2013 Baltimore Orioles home game versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

The prize: any available autograph.

The reason: I actually have no idea who it is. None whatsoever. So no wild guesses please and I will verify guesses.

The Subject:

Good Luck.

Blogger Hated Me, Then It Didn't

2014-01-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

I went to my first and only Orioles game of 2013 on Tuesday September 23. I took a vacation day from work to get to the stadium early and try and make the most of my day. I was rewarded with one of the worst autographing days I have had. Now I did walk away with six autographs but the day was brutal.

Then I wrote all about it and Blogger deleted my post, then proceeded to not work for two months. It works now so I guess I have been forgiven.

Back to my day.

This day must have been National "Catch Me Inside the Stadium Day" because that was the go to denial. All day. Whether it was two graphers or five (the most of the day) we were stonewalled by all but Scott McGregor and Chris Snyder (separate post for the guy). Chris Davis told us he would be back and kept his word. It was to show fellow Texans Tommy Hunter and Darren O'Day his new Ford F250 not sign an autograph.

I grabbed some food and went inside the stadium to try my luck there. I had a little with Rick Dempsey and Buck Showalter behind home plate, neither of which I need.

Rick Dempsey 1991 Orioles Crown #102

Buck Showalter Orioles Autograph Card

All of the "Catch me inside" guys ducked every attempt to pay up. I figured I would try my luck with the Blue Jays.

I was only on their side for ten minutes and was able to get a Cy Young Winner and an Oriole upgrade.

Sal Fasano Orioles Autograph Card

I was ill prepared for this game and didn't know Fasano was a coach for the Jays. I saw him walk into the stadium as I was being shunned by my team and was pissed I didn't have a blank ready. At least I atoned for my mistake inside the stadium.

R.A. Dickey 2013 Gypsy Queen Dealing Aces #RD

Before the game I had not planned on grabbing a Dickey, but when he started signing I couldn't pass up the opportunity (Sorry I had to go there, I couldn't help myself). I was the last of a long line trying to get at Dickey and I think my signature suffered for it (Again, that was unavoidable).

Anything but the Fasano is available.

Note to Blogger-Whatever I did to you I am sorry. I will be on my best behavior moving forward, I promise. Just please don't hate me any more. It is good to be back.

Nope, I'm Not Dead

2014-01-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

After taking four months off from blogging, I can't blame any one thing for my hiatus. Hell, I can't blame any fifteen things, but I am back.

I am back to pay attention to the blogging community. I am back to get involved in trading. I am back to start crossing names off the needs list again.

I have truly missed this blog and the fun I had writing it, researching players and interacting with the community. I am hoping to get back to regular posting. I appreciate all of those that have not un-followed me yet.

So for those patient enough to stick around for more than four months, I will not disappoint with my most recent addition. Here is the star, the stud, the prize jewel of my collection.

Jason Pridie 2003 Topps #674

OK, not the crown jewel, but an addition none the less. I received this in September, I think. It was a trade from one of the sites I was on, which I don't remember. It came from a person I don't know. Lots of unknown surrounding this guy.

What I do know, Pridie made his Oriole debut on September 25, 2013. He appeared in four games as the Orioles finished off their heart wrenching campaign without Manny Machado. Pridie was merely a stop gap and the team granted him free agency after the season.

This is just the beginning as I am working on a few more posts to bring you back into the quest.

Time To Make A Run

2013-08-30T23:45:00.000-04:00

No more waiting. No more series wins. The Orioles have to make a run and a big one, or they will be left watching the Playoffs this year.

It has all been said already, but hell, you haven't heard it from me.

They control their destiny.

19 of their final 29 games are against teams in the Playoff race. 6 against the Yankees and 3 versus the Indians can create separation with the pack, but that still leaves the front runners.

6 more with the Red Sox and 6 with the Rays can create an interesting race. Or put a lot of distance between the wild card contenders.

The lineup has been able to produce and score runs all year. That has continued in recent weeks but our once stellar bullpen has been awful. Get the lead early and blow it late has been the way of the Birds.

So what do they do right before September call-ups?

Get another bat of course.

We could use a pitcher to sure up the pen, someone like this guy:

Francisco Rodriguez 2000 Topps Traded Autograph #TTA38

Arms like his may be the difference, instead we get Mike Morse and his .227 batting average and poor defense. Perfect fit.

Feeling Lucky: 1982 Edition

2013-08-17T20:54:00.001-04:00

The last time I had busted a vintage pack of cards, it wasn't vintage at all. It was new, fresh exciting and it was probably 1987.My brother has been a little more adventurous in his pack ripping.

Recently he picked up a bunch of older packs from somewhere and had some good luck. He has been working on the 1978 Topps set and was hoping to pull an Eddie Murray RC in good condition. He did.

He snagged a 1982 Topps rack pack for my birthday, hoping I could do the same with a Ripken RC.

It was my birthday, I was feeling lucky and I though it could happen. It did not.

I don't know if these are the best cards from the bunch, but I thought they were cool.

The Fisk is pretty damn sweet. I got thrill from opening up some old school, even if it didn't pan out.

A Perfect Angle

2013-08-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

Matt Angle 2009 Frederick Keys Team Set #2

Angle is a former 7th round pick of the Birds that found his way into the lineup during the 2011 campaign. He appeared in 31 games patrolling each of the outfield positions but with little pop at the plate. He hit under .200 for the year and was relegated to the minors for the majority of the season.

Following 2011 he was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers and has been in AAA the last two years. He has hit around .300 for the Isotopes the last two years and has shown the most power of his career. If the Dodgers are contending come September, he should get another shot to bolster a lineup and add some depth to their outfield.

Ugh! A Red Sox Autograph

2013-08-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has ever looked to add a Luis Exposito autograph to their collection has run into this card. And it is so damn ugly. A hat logo, emblazoned jersey and dirty sweat sox add up to a trifecta of stink.

So why do I have it?

This card once again completes the letter E in my collection. At last, I can breath E-zier (lame I know).

Luis Exposito 2010 Bowman Prospects #BP21

I do like the autograph on this particular card. It covers up the silver facsimile signature printed on the front of the card quite well.

Because of nine games during the 2012 baseball season. He had one hit, one passed ball, one wild pitch, one caught stealing, one stolen base against, and I have another name off the list.

Exposito is still in Norfolk looking for an opportunity to come back up. If Taylor Teagarden continues to be the statistically worst catcher in the Majors, Exposito may just get that chance.